Draw Swords! Part 34

No less than six times did Hulton bring his battery into action from different parts of the field, playing terrible havoc in the enemy's ranks, and then his work seemed to be done, for, as had been foreseen, the battle had become a cavalry melee, or, rather, a series of single combats, friend and foe being hopelessly intermingled. But one thing was plain enough from where the artillery were seated, waiting for another chance to be of service. In spite of the terrible losses they had sustained, the enemy was steadily pressing the Rajah's people back towards the river and the bridge, Hulton raging as he felt how helpless he was to produce a diversion.

"Why hasn't he a regiment or two of foot there to cover the retreat?" he cried. "There would have been plenty of time for them to man the walls afterwards. Can you suggest anything, Wyatt?"

"No," was the reply. "It's what I expected. We've done our work, and ought to be getting over the bridge now."

"If we were there now we should be jammed. Look at them; they're beginning to fly, and our retiring would have a terribly bad effect."

"There must be another gate and a bridge on the other side of the city,"

said Wyatt. "What do you say to following the river-bank?"

"I don't want to leave the ground. We ought to be covering the retreat," cried Hulton angrily.

"That's quite right," said Wyatt; "but we should injure friends more than foes, and we ought to be moving off. No; look!"

He pointed away along the course of the river, and as d.i.c.k followed the direction of his hand, it was to see that a fresh body of cavalry was coming up in the direction Wyatt had proposed for their retreat; while, to add to the peril, from the same direction the white cotton garments of a strong body of foot could be seen following the horse.

That gave something to do, and, rapidly unlimbering, the approaching horse and foot were soon thrown into a state of disorder, and their advance for the time being was checked. But fresh peril threatened.

The enemy had gathered together away to their right, and the guns had to be slewed round for a fresh discharge; but before half the volley had parted, a body of about fifty hors.e.m.e.n came on at a gallop, opening out right and left so as to avoid the next discharge.

There was no time for limbering up, and drivers and horse-holders prepared to defend their dismounted comrades to the death.

But as the hors.e.m.e.n opened out they shouted wildly, and a revulsion of feeling swept through d.i.c.k as he grasped the fact that they were friends, who reined up ready to help them.

The gunners sprang to their places again, and once more the guns spoke out to their front and to their left flank, where the fresh horse and foot were coming.

"Is there another bridge?" cried Hulton in Hindustani to the leader of their reinforcement.

"Yes; but we could not reach it now," was the reply.

"Then we must charge right across the field."

"No, no," cried the leader; "there is the ford."

"Hah! could we take the guns across?"

"Yes. Follow us."

"Wait!" shouted Hulton, and six more discharges were sent at the hesitating enemy, the smoke rising densely and again covering their retreat. For, before the enemy could realise what had happened, the battery was limbered up and in full retreat towards the river, the leader of the little body of hors.e.m.e.n taking them diagonally down to the stream, his men dashing in at a gallop, for the fresh body coming from the open bridge now grasped what was about to be done, and came on with a rush to capture the guns.

There was no hesitation on the part of the troop. As the hors.e.m.e.n dashed in, sending the water flying, in rushed the men with the leading gun, the water rising above the axles of the wheels and foaming round them, as, of necessity slowing down, the horses tore through the river, a good hundred yards wide, the drivers making every effort to get their teams through in safety.

Fortunately the water shallowed as they neared the farther bank beneath the walls; unfortunately the enemy's foot reached the bank that had been left soon after the last gun had been dragged in, and opened a dropping fire from their long matchlocks, the bullets rattling on the gun-carriages and making more than one horse plunge wildly.

It was only a matter of minutes, and then the enemy's fire slackened before a fierce rattle of musketry opened upon them from the walls, effectually covering the retreat of the troop, once more on firm ground--a well-made road running along beneath the walls, leading to a gate, through which the battery pa.s.sed--while the firing grew louder in the direction of the bridge.

"Going to make for the old palace, and defend ourselves there?" said Wyatt, riding up abreast of Hulton.

d.i.c.k heard the question, and looked towards his leader, seeing him slowly turn his face towards his brother-officer, and then raise his hand with his sword hanging by the knot from his wrist, to take off his helmet, before drooping forward over his saddle-bow.

"Ah!" exclaimed a familiar voice close to d.i.c.k's elbow, "the captain's. .h.i.t;" and the old sergeant spurred forward to Hulton's other side to keep him on his horse.

"Forward!" rang out Wyatt's order, and then he shouted to one of the hors.e.m.e.n to guide them to their quarters.

"Pa.s.s the word for the doctor," said Wyatt then hoa.r.s.ely.

"He's badly hurt, sir," said the sergeant. "They've got him on the limber of the last gun."

"Tut, tut!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Wyatt; and then he was silent till the gateway of the old palace was reached, and they filed into the yard, where the guns were placed so as to cover the entrance, and Captain Hulton and six of the men were helped into one of the rooms, turned for the time being into a hospital; while directly after, by a strange irony of fate, the doctor, to whom they should have looked for help at such a time as this, was lifted carefully off the blood-stained limber and borne in last.

"Sergeant," cried Wyatt, "gallop to the bridge and see what is being done there. The Rajah may need a couple of the guns to sweep it."

As he spoke, the heavy report of a cannon told that one of the pieces mounted at the main gate was being brought into action.

The sergeant went off without a word; and as the men stood to their guns, ready for anything that might befall them now, d.i.c.k followed Wyatt into the hospital room.

"Now, d.i.c.k, lad," he said hoa.r.s.ely, "you are a doctor's son; for heaven's sake, bring all you know to bear. Hulton first."

The lad was already unbuckling his belt; his heavy helmet followed, and, with a strange feeling of horror and dismay attacking him now after the wild excitement of the fight, he bent down over Hulton, who lay upon a charpoy, perfectly insensible, and with his face of a strangely pallid hue, contracted, too, as if by approaching death.

CHAPTER TWENTY.

PLAYING THE DOCTOR.

In answer to the call made upon him--a tremendous call at such a time-- d.i.c.k carefully removed the captain's jacket, soaked with blood, back and breast telling plainly enough the kind of wound with which he had to deal; and, as it was drawn and ripped off, there was a sharp rap upon the floor, from which Wyatt stooped to pick up a ragged jezail bullet, which, discharged at so short a distance, had pa.s.sed right through the poor fellow's chest.

Wyatt looked at d.i.c.k inquiringly.

"I am not doctor enough to know," whispered the lad. "I can only plug and bind the wounds. A vital part may not be touched."

Wyatt's lip quivered slightly under his great moustache, but he said nothing, only looked on, while one of the men proved himself an able aid in producing lint and bandages from the doctor's valise.

"See to the doctor next," said Wyatt in a low voice. "I must leave you directly."

"Yes," said d.i.c.k; and as soon as his first patient was finished he turned to the doctor, who was just recovering from his swoon.

He smiled wistfully at d.i.c.k as the lad approached his bed and looked at him inquiringly.

"Badly hurt," he said. "Back of my head and across my side. The fellow cut at me like lightning, but the sergeant ran him through."

"Don't talk much," said d.i.c.k, "but guide me, and tell me what to do."

"You know as well as I can tell you, Mr Darrell," the surgeon answered bluntly. "I saw part of what you did for the captain. Most unfortunate--most unfortunate," he murmured, and he fainted again from loss of blood.

Just then the sergeant came in quickly, and made for Wyatt to deliver his report, the heavy firing endorsing all he said.

"Rajah in safe, sir, with the greater part of his men; others made off together, with enemy in pursuit. They've got the gates closed, and the guns at work sweeping the bridge, and the Rajah says there is no need for you to send help."